Ashton Enchanted » [cashton] √

2.4

"Ashton Irwin!" his mother's voice called as soon as he stepped through the front door, "Your room is an absolute pigsty! Go up there and clean it top to bloody bottom," she hadn't even finished her sentence, and Ashton felt the tug in his stomach. 

He dropped the bag in his hand and started on up the stairs toward his room, stopping along the way to get the vacuum cleaner from the hall cupboard. It was once he was in his room, frustrated tears beading in the corner of his eyes, that he heard footsteps thundering up the stairs. 

"Ashton," his mother called, "Stop!" she flung the door open to Ashton standing on his bed, vacuuming the ceiling. He dropped the vacuum cleaner, and it bounced off the bed and clattered onto the floor. 

He knew he should say something, acknowledge her, but he was entirely drained; the moment he'd felt the tug in his stomach, he'd given up for the day. Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed and didn't let himself look up to meet her gaze; he knew if she saw him crying, she'd be even more upset. 

"I'm so sorry, sweetie, I really didn't mean to; I was just tired and frustrated," she explained, her voice coming out desperate. 

"It's okay, mum; I forgive you, it's not your fault; people say stuff like that to me all the time," he sighed, still not bringing his head up. 

"Oh darling!" she cried, "I didn't know you were still having trouble with commands at school; you hadn't mentioned it in so long,"

Ashton wanted to scream; of course, he was still having trouble. Sometimes he wondered how his mother managed to be so naive at her age. She joined him on the bed, rubbing gentle circles in his back, but he still couldn't manage to lift his eyes from the floor. He was tired. 

Days like these reminded him that even the people closest to him couldn't possibly understand. Despite that, he knew he couldn't hold it against them, especially not his mum. 

She pressed a kiss into his hair, and the part of him that was mad at her dissolved, replaced by the part of him who's heart broke for her. 

"I'm going to go downstairs and make something for lunch; I'll bring it up in a little bit," she told him, running a hand through his hair as she got up and headed for the door; he finally looked up and saw her wipe at her eyes with the back of her hand.

He knew that all she'd ever wanted was for Ashton to have a normal life. She'd been so afraid the godmother would return and give a 'gift' to all her children, so she never had any more, because what if there was something worse than obedience? She'd never have been able to live with herself.

Ashton sighed and picked up the vacuum cleaner, returning it to the hall cupboard where he'd found it, and started tidying his room. It took him about an hour to finish, folding some clothes and dumping the others in the laundry basket. Knick knacks back in place and fresh linen on his bed. His mum came up after that with a bowl of pasta and a glass of juice, she placed it on his desk, and Ashton couldn't help but turn and wrap his arms around her.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled into her shirt. 

She laughed, "what are you sorry for, baby?"

"I just am," he said, unable to articulate any of the thoughts he was having. 

"Okay, well, you enjoy your pasta; I'm going to do some paperwork," she said, patting him on his head, and Ashton begrudgingly let her go. 

He slowly worked on his pasta, and the pit in his stomach remained. It wasn't her fault; that's the sort of thing parents said to their children, but Ashton wasn't like normal children. And yeah, she knew he would do exactly what he was told, but that didn't mean she wasn't allowed to make mistakes.

She'd never remarried, never had more kids, all because Ashton was cursed. Ashton was the one who should feel guilty and god he did; she could have had an entirely different life without him being so odd. Maybe she'd have stayed with his dad, and Ashton would have had brothers and sisters. Or maybe they'd have split up anyway, but she'd have met someone new, and he'd have half-siblings or step-siblings he actually spoke to. His mother really seemed to believe that one day Ashton would break the curse and have a happy, normal life.

He wondered whether that was entirely for his benefit or if a little part of her was just so ready not to be responsible for him anymore, and get a new life, just like his dad had done.